Recent vertebrate carcasses and their paleobiological implications

Autori

• Johannes Weigelt

Parametri

• Natura
• Natura, animali

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The first English translation of Johannes Weigelt's 1927 classic presents a foundational work in taphonomy, exploring how organisms die, decay, become entombed in sediments, and fossilize. Weigelt highlighted the significance of empirical research, conducting extensive observations of modern carcasses along the Texas Gulf Coast. He applied these findings to the fossil record, illustrating that understanding the postmortem fate of contemporary animals is essential for making accurate inferences about fossil vertebrate assemblages and their ecological contexts. Over sixteen months in the mid-1920s, Weigelt documented evidence from cattle and other animals in early preservation stages. His work covers topics such as death and decomposition, various modes of death (including drowning, cold, and fire), and the positions of carcasses. He provides detailed data on carcass assemblages at the Smither's Lake site and compares these findings to those from the geologic past, raising questions about the nature of the fossil record and its implications for paleoecological studies. The English edition features a foreword and translator's note discussing Weigelt's life and the importance of his contributions, along with an updated bibliography, an index, and illustrations from Weigelt's own photographs and drawings.

Lingua: Inglese

Pubblicato: 1989